Suitcase having a cooperating wheel and handle assembly

ABSTRACT

A suitcase adapted to be moved manually by a cooperating wheel and handle assembly; is provided with a pair of wheels on one angular corner of the lower base of the suitcase and a handle grip pivotally mounted on an upper corner of the suitcase diagonally opposite to the positions of the wheels. The grip is arranged so as to protrude outwardly with an upward inclination from the upper corner in an operative position when one side of the suitcase is lifted and thereby tilted to allow the wheels to contact the ground for travel thereon. In order not to distract from having the appearance of a conventional suitcase, a mechanism is provided for foldably storing the grip in the side wall of the suitcase.

United States Patent [1 1 Kuwayama Apr. 23, 1974 [76] Inventor: YukioKuwayama, 3623-302, Aza

Higashiyama, Nagoya, Japan [22] Filed: Sept. 8, 1972 [21] Appl. No.:287,225

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Germany 190/58 B PrimaryExaminer-Herbert F. Ross 5 7 ABSTRACT A suitcase adapted to be movedmanually by a mop erating wheel and handle assembly; is provided with apair of wheels on one angular corner of the lower base of the suitcaseand a handle grip pivotally mounted on an upper corner of the suitcasediagonally opposite to the positions of the wheels. The grip is arrangedso as to protrude outwardly with an upward inclination from the uppercorner in an operative position when one side of the suitcase is liftedand thereby tilted to allow the wheels to contact the ground for travelthereon. In order not to distract from having the appearance of aconventional suitcase, a mechanism is provided for foldably storing thegrip in the side wall of the suitcase.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED PR 2 m4 SHEET 1 BF 2 F/G.5 H66PATENTEDAPR 23 m4 SHEET 2 BF 2 4 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIJ' SUITCASEHAVING A COOPERATING WHEEL AND HANDLE ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION a. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to asuitcase, particularly to a large size suitcase that is provided with acooperating wheel and handle grip assemble. For maintaining the inherentappearance and function of a conventional suitcase, a pair of wheels areprovided only at the lower angular corner portion of the suitcase, and acooperating handle grip is protrudely provided on the upper angularcorner diagonally opposite to the position of the wheels whereby thehandle grip facilitates the operating manipulation of the suitcase whenthe suitcase is tilted with respect to the horizontal plane and thewheels contact the ground for travel thereon. The grip is provided witha mechanism that permits folding and storing the grip within the housingof the suitcase.

b. Description of the Invention There have been various types ofsuitcases commercially available some of which are provided with smallwheels and a handle for implementing the motion to the wheeled suitcase.However, such small wheel devices usually have only one wheel and such aone wheel device provides instability to a suitcase in motion. Someprior art suitcases are provided with two or four wheels, but withoutexception these wheels protrude from the outer surface of the suitcaseand therefore such arrangements spoil the exterior appearance of asuitcase. Furthermore, the prior art handle for a manually movablewheeled suitcase is generally constructed as a separate handle unitidentical or similar to the ordinary handle. Such a handle unit isinsufficient functionally for implementing the motion to a suitcase.Therefore, not only is the position of the prior art handle arrangementimproper but also the provision of two identical handles on one suitcaseat separate locations obviously distracts from having the appearance ofa conventional suitcase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is toprovide a suitcase having a cooperating wheel and handle assemble.Heretofore, when a suitcase particularly a large size suitcase was to bemanually carried, a large amount of labor was required, but the carryingof the suitcase is made simpler and easier by the utilization of asuitcase with wheels.

Another object of the present invention is to prevent the self-propelledmotion to the suitcase by providing means for grounding the angularcorner of the base of the suitcase diagonally opposite to the wheels.

This means include the provision of mounting wheels only at one angularcorner of the base of the suitcase and having such wheels inoperativewhen the suitcase is erect in a normal supporting position on theground. The wheels are supported embedded in recesses in the housing ofthe suitcase and therefore do not distract from having the appearance ofa conventional suitcase. By utilizing only two wheels at one corner, thenumber of wheels constitutes an effective minimum.

The cooperating wheel and handle assembly of the present invention makesthe self-propelled motion of the suitcase extremely easy from thestandpoint of function by providing the wheels only at one angularcorner of the base of the suitcase and by providing the handle grip withan upward inclination from the angular corner of the upper end of thesuitcase diagonally opposite to the wheels so as to protrude from thesuitcase in the longitudinal direction. Thereby the suitcase can bemanually moved by lifting and thus tilting one end of the suitcase bythe handle grip and by having the wheels contact the ground for travelthereon.

A further object of the present invention is to stabilize the manualmoving of the suitcase by providing two wheels at only one angularcorner of the suitcase.

A still further object of the present invention is to prevent the handlegrip from becoming an obstruction to the inherent use of the suitcaseand to preserve the exterior appearance of the suitcase by providing amechanism that permits folding and storing the handle grip within thesuitcase.

In essence, the present invention. relates to a suitcase that comprisesa housing having top, bottom, side and end walls, the housing havingopposed concave sections defining a compartment therein, the housing 1fixedly secured along the bottom wall thereof for pivotal movement andremovably secured along the top wall thereof; a pair of recesses formedwithin the housing along the juncture of the bottom wall and one of theend walls; a 'pair of parallel arranged wheels respectively mountedwithin the pair of recesses to form a pair of corners having arcuateconfigurations on the housing, the wheels adapted to provide manualmoving of the suitcase when said suitcase is tilted whereby said wheelscontact the ground for travel thereon; and a handle grip means having aL-shaped configuration mounted on the peripheral edges of the concavesections along the juncture of the top wall and one of the end walls,the juncture being positioned diagonally opposite to the first-mentionedjuncture, the L-shaped handle grip means being pivotally mounted on thetop wall and having means for selectively placing the grip means in anopen operative position and a closed storage position, the L-shapedhandle grip means in the open operative position providing a handle andlever means for facilitating the manual moving of the suitcase, theL-shaped handle grip means in the closed storage position together withthe mentioned top wall one of the end walls forming a corner having anarcuate configuration on the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of thesuitcase according to the present invention and is provided with a wheeland handle grip assembly, illustrating by a chain line the position ofthe grip in an open operative position;

F IG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line II II of FIG. 1showing the caster units;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of an essential part of the gripshowing the grip foldably stored in a side wall of the suitcase;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of an essential part of the gripshowing the grip protruding outwardly in an open operative position;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line V V of FIG. 3; andFIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along a line VI VI of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The suitcase of the presentinvention is indicated by the letter S throughout the drawings. Thesuitcase S comprises a pair of caster units C that are mounted only atthe angular corners of one end of the lower part or base of thesuitcase, and a handle grip G that is provided at one angular corner ofthe upper part of the suitcase and that is diagonally opposite to theposition of the caster units C. The respective positions of the grip Gand caster units C facilitate the manual moving of the suitcase.

The suitcase S, as shown in FIG. 1, is of a conventional structuraltype. The suitcase S includes a main body 1 and a cooperating lid 2 eachhaving opposed concave sections. The body 1 and lid 2 are coupled bymeans of hinges (not shown in the drawing) and together define acompartment therein. The lid 2 is closed on the body 1 and is locked bya suitable lock (not shown in the drawing). The inner peripheral edgesof both the body 1 and the lid 2 are fitted with reinforcing metalstrips 3, 4 respectively. A conventional handle 5 for use in thecarrying of the suitcase S is provided on the central portion of theupper side wall 6 of the body 1.

The caster units C are mounted only on the angular corners of one end ofthe lower portion of the suitcase S in order to prevent theself-travelling the suitcase S as shown in FIG. 1. The caster units Cinclude two paralle'l arranged wheels 7, 7' as shown in FIG. 2. The

wheels 7, 7 are provided with axle members 8, 8, respectively, forsupport thereof. Each of the wheels is positioned within a recess orconcave portion 9 that is formed on the body 1 and the lid 2respectively. Axle members 8, 8- are secured by rivets or screws intheir respective positions on body 1 and lid 2. The embedding of thewheels 7, 7' in their respective recesses 9 and the formation of arcuatecorners on the housing by the wheels themselves provide an exteriorappearance of the suitcase which is similar to that of a conventionalone.

The grip G is provided on the angular corner of the upper part of theright side of the suitcase S as shown in FIG. 1. And the grip G isstructurally mounted on the side of the body 1. The grip G isconstructed as a U- shaped channel lever-type member, and its outwardlyextending tip is bent along the angular portion of the suitcase Sto forma L-shaped member S. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a metal fixture 10is rigidly secured by rivets or screws a small distance from the uppercorner of the right side of body 1. The pivotal end of the grip G issupported on the metal fixture 10 by means of the pin 11 so as to berotatably mounted as shown in FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a guide plate 13 is fixed to the rightside wall 12 of the body 1. This guide plate 13 is formed as of anelongate member having a predetermined thickness. An elongated apertureor hole 14 starting from the one end to the other end in thelongitudinal direction is cut on the side wall of the elongate plate. Asupporting arm lever 15, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, is journaled atthe position 16 slightly lower than the curved portion of the grip G atits one end, and the other end is coupled to the guide plate 13 by meansof a shaft 17 inserted slidably in the hole 14 of the guide plate 13.The supporting arm lever is formed of a U-shaped channel member similarto the grip G. When the grip G is folded and stored in the right sidewall 12 of the body 1, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 6, the U-shapedchannel supporting arm lever 15 fits within the guide plate 13, and atthe same time the U-shaped channel lever of the grip G fits within thesupporting arm lever 15 to form a compact unit in the closed storageposition in the side wall of the housing.

Also, the supporting arm lever 15 is positioned at an upper position inthe hole 14 of the guide plate 13 by means of the shaft 17 at its lowerend and when the grip G is assembled, the grip G, as shown in FIG. 4 isprovided so as to be protruded with little downward inclination in thelongitudinal direction from the upper right corner of the suicase S.

When a person finds it difficult to carry the suitcase, according to theembodiment of the present invention, that is fully loaded with articles,he pulls the grip G outwardly towards the direction marked by an arrowas shown in FIG. 3. Then as he lifts the grip G upwardly the supportingarm lever l5 is extended as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 1 (namely, theshaftgl7 reaches the upper position of the hole 14 of the guide plate13). Thus, by the lifting of the one side of the suitcase S the wheels7, 7' are grounded. He can carry the suitcase S by moving it with thewheels 7, 7 with a pushing or pulling operation of the grip G in its useas a handle member. Thereby one going on a journey can carry thesuitcase S with extreme ease and reduce the exhaustion of the physicalstrength.

Also, when the grip G is not to be used, the shaft 17 provided at thelower end of the supporting arm lever 15 is slidably shifted to thelower part of the hole 14 of the guide plate 13, and the supporting armlever 15 is fitted and overlapped in the guide plate 13. Then the grip Gfits within the supporting arm lever 15 so as to be folded whereby thegrip G is stored in a substantially compact condition in the side wall12 of the body 1. Thereafter the suitcase may be lifted and carried asan ordinary suitcase using the conventional-type handle 5 thereon.

What is claimed is:

l. A suitcase comprising in combination:

a housing having top, bottom, side and end walls, said housing havingopposed concave sections defining a compartment therein, said housingfixedly secured along the bottom wall thereof for pivotal movement andremovable'secured along the top wall thereof;

a pair of recesses formed within said housing along the juncture of saidbottom wall and one of said end walls;

a pair of parallel arranged wheels mounted and embedded, respectively,within said pair of recesses to form a pair of corners having arcuateconfigurations on said housing, said wheels adapted to provide manualmoving of said suitcase when said suitcase is tilted whereby said wheelscontact the ground for travel thereon; and

a handle grip means having a L-shaped configuration mounted on theperipheral edges of said concave sections alongthe juncture of said topwall and one of said end walls, said juncture being positioneddiagonally opposite to said first-mentioned juncture, one end of saidL-shaped handle grip means being pivotally mounted on said top wall andhaving means for selectively placing said grip means in an openoperative position and a closed storage position, said means forselectively placing said grip means in open or closed position includinga supporting lever arm pivotally connected at one end thereof to saidL-shaped means intermediate the ends of said L-shaped means, a slottedplate mounted on said one of said end walls for slidably receiving theother end of said lever arm whereby said lever arm slides and moves theL-shaped handle grip means between operative and storage positions, saidL-shaped handle grip means in said open operative position providing ahandle and lever means for facilitating the manual moving of saidwheeled suitcase, said L-shaped handle grip means in said closed storageposition together with said mentioned top wall and one of said end wallsforming a corner having an arcuate configuration on said housing.

2. A suitcase according to claim 1, wherein each of said wheels issupported on said housing by an axle member.

3. A suitcase according to claim 1, wherein said means for selectivelyplacing said grip means in an open operative position and a closedstorage position includes a housing mechanism having a said plate formedwith an elongated aperture means.

4. A suitcase according to claim 3, wherein said grip means and saidsupporting arm are U-shaped channel members whereby said grip means,said supporting arm lever and said guide plate in said closed storageposition fit together as a compact unit within said mentioned side wall.

1. A suitcase comprising in combination: a housing having top, bottom,side and end walls, said housing having opposed concave sectionsdefining a compartment therein, said housing fixedly secured along thebottom wall thereof for pivotal movement and removable secured along thetop wall thereof; a pair of recesses formed within said housing alongthe juncture of said bottom wall and one of said end walls; a pair ofparallel arranged wheels mounted and embedded, respectively, within saidpair of recesses to form a pair of corners having arcuate configurationson said housing, said wheels adapted to provide manual moving of saidsuitcase when said suitcase is tilted whereby said wheels contact theground for travel thereon; and a handle grip means having a L-shapedconfiguration mounted on the peripheral edges of said concave sectionsalong the juncture of said top wall and one of said end walls, saidjuncture being positioned diagonally opposite to said firstmentionedjuncture, one end of said L-shaped handle grip means being pivotallymounted on said top wall and having means for selectively placing saidgrip means in an open operative position and a closed storage position,said means for selectively placing said grip means in open or closedposition including a supporting lever arm pivotally connected at one endthereof to said L-shaped means intermediate the ends of said Lshapedmeans, a slotted plate mounted on said one of said end walls forslidably receiving the other end of said lever arm whereby said leverarm slides and moves the L-shaped handle grip means between operativeand storage positions, said Lshaped handle grip means in said openoperative position providing a handle and lever means for facilitatingthe manual moving of said wheeled suitcase, said L-shaped handle gripmeans in said closed storage position together with said mentioned topwall and one of said end walls forming a corner having an arcuateconfiguration on said housing.
 2. A suitcase according to claim 1,wherein each of said wheels is supported on said housing by an axlemember.
 3. A suitcase according to claim 1, wherein said means forselectively placing said grip means in an open operative position and aclosed storage position includes a housing mechanism having a said plateformed with an elongated aperture means.
 4. A suitcase according toclaim 3, wherein said grip means and said supporting arm are U-shapedchannel members whereby said grip means, said supporting arm lever andsaid guide plate in said closed storage position fit together as acompact unit within said mentioned side wall.